Burial vault



R. SIMPSON lBURIAL. V'AULT 2 Sheets-Sheet l 2 4 t e 1 m 1 2 .t l e e h S 2 oo 5/ 7 3 3 9 l wma. wml. Mum SIP .WA RBd 15 .w m.. 3

March l5, 1938.

| I l I l l l l l 1 l I l v h l. Jr..

Patented Mar. 15, 1938 vvUNITED STATES T oFFicE 10 Claims.

This invention relates to burial vaults.` More particularly, it is' directed to the type of vault which is positioned in the Iground fairly near the surface, commonly referred to in the trade as a surface vault.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide a vault which is perfectly sealed from eX- ternal influences, such as air and moisture. Moreover, it is a further object to provi-de a vault which will last indefinitely, and the sealing efciency of which will not decrease with the passage of time. Thus, a casket and its contents will be perpetually preserved when placed in a vault constructed in accordance with the invention.

The invention is concerned not only with the novel combinations of structural features pointed out below, but also with a novel assembly of different materials, serving to produce a vault which will withstand deterioration andy disintegration through the lapse of time. y

In the accompanying drawings, two embodiments of the invention are disclosed, but it must be understood that the vinvention is not limited to these forms, nor to lthedetails of construction embodied therein and described below, because many changes may be made by one skilled in the art.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view.

' Figure 2 is a vertical, transverse, sectional view. Figure 3 is a View similar toFigure l, showing a modification.

Figure 4 is a transverse section of Figure 3, and Figure 5 is a diagrammatic View of the manner in which the vault may be set in sloping ground.

The vault construction of the present invention preferably comprises a supporting base I3 and a casket receptacle indicated generally at l i. The base is preferably constructed of poured concrete, shaped in an appropriate form to provi-de a one-piece, monolithic structure having vertical side walls I2, I3, end walls I4, l5, and a top wall i6. The bottom of `the base is open, as shown, and the walls i2, I3 provide an interior, hollow, downwardly opening space which is, of course, sealed from the outside by those walls.

After the grave has been dug, the base is let down into the bottom thereof by an appropriate hoist, and for this purpose, holes il may be provided in the side walls to receive the conventional hooks on chain lifts. When the base has been put in place, an air space is therefore provided, below the topwall i6. This space effectively prevents the upward movement of water into proximity to y the base.

the casket receiving receptacle II supported on the base.V

The side walls of the base may be provided with copper or brass pipes i8, I9, embedded directly therein and projecting upwardly there- 5 from, for purposes hereinafter described.

The top wall i6A is provided with a plane upper surface l5 throughout the major portion of its area.v Adjacent the margins thereof, the upper surface is stepped downwardly by an inclined 10 portion 20 and a horizontal portion 2|.

The casket receptacle comprises side, bottom and top walls of stone-like material, such as natural stone or concrete. In the construction illustrated in Figure 1, for example, the end walls 22, 23, the side walls 24, 25, and the bottom wall 26, consist of poured concrete made in an appropriate form. The lower surface 2l of the bottom wall 26 throughout the major portion of its area israised somewhat in comparison with the edge portions 28 thereof, to provide a sealed air space 29 between the supporting base and the bottom of the casket receiving receptacle. Along the margins of its bottom surface, the receptacle is provided with a downwardly stepped portion 3D, complemental in shape to the portion 20, 2l of The receptacle is placed on the base without an intervening layer of mortar and is supported thereon by what is known in the trade as a dry joint. Any moisture which may collect in the air space 29,-therefore, may gradual- 1y escape through thisY joint and flow outwardly over the downwardly stepped portions.

The upper edges of the side and end walls are provided with upwardly projecting ribs 3l which cooperate with complemental grooves 32 in a cover slab 33 to provide a waterproof joint'. The rabbeted' joint 3l, 32, thus provided, may be made tight by means of waterproof cement 34, such as German cement.

l An important feature of the present invention is the provision of a sheet metal inner casing or liner 35. This casing may be constructed of sheet copper side walls 36, 31, end walls 38, 39 and a top wall 40. These walls are soldered or w-elded together along their meeting edges to provide absolutely tight joints so that a hermetically sealed casing is provided. The bottom of the casing is entirely open, to enable it to be dropped down into the casket receiving receptacle over the casket after the latter has been placed therein.

The casing preferably is provided with a reinforcing bronze angle strip 4l, welded to the side and end walls adjacent the top. These angle strips are seated in appropriate seats or grooves formed in the side walls of the casket receiving receptacle and, after the casing has been put in place, a seal is provided by means of waterproof cement 42. Thus, the inner casing is sealed to the side walls of the vault.

An inner cover slab 43 is preferably placed over the casing 35 and this slab may be of concrete or an appropriate stone, such as marble, granite or the like. This slab also is sealed in place by the waterproof cement 42.

The cover slab 33 is preferably made of some decorative stone, such as granite or marble, but the invention is not limited to any particular material for this purpose. A head stone 44, of

the same or a selected contrasting stone-like mav terial may be appropriately secured in place upon the slabA 33.

The conduits or pipes I8, which are'embedded in the base l0, may project upwardly through appropriate holes in the bottom 26 of the receptacle Il, as shown in Figure 2. These conduits permit any moisture which may be condensed within the receptacle to escape into the ground below the base. If desired, the conduits lfmay terminate flush with the upper surface I6 of the base and their upper ends may be disposed in registry with short conduits 45 extending through the bottom surface 26 of the receptacle. In many cases, the conduits I8 and the openings 45 may be entirely dispensed with, and the invention is not limited to a construction which includes such drainage means.

The inner casing 35 is preferably made by shaping sheet copper around an appropriate wooden form and soldering or welding the edges together to provide hermetically sealed joints. The reinforcing strips 4| are then welded in place to impart strength to the structure and to facilitate handling thereof. Any equivalent inner casing, of course, may be substituted for that disclosed herein.

The form of the invention disclosed in Figures 3 and 4 differs in some respects from the rst form. A base I0 of substantially the same type may be used, and in this instance, the conduits I 8 have been omitted to indicate that they are not essential in all cases.

The casket receiving receptacle comprises side and end walls made up of slabs of stone 50, 5l 52, 53 of natural stone or the like. These slabs are preferably secured to the base ID and to each other by dowel pins 54, which may be of brass, bronze or the like. After the slabs of the side and end walls have been assembled upon the base, the bottom wall 55 is put in place. This member is recessed on its undersurface to provide sealed air space 29, as previously described.

The inner casing 35 in this instance is made up of a strong, substantial, supporting frame 56, which may be of Wood or non-corroding metal. On the exterior surface of the supporting framework 56, there is disposed a sheet copper casing 51, hermetically sealed along its joints as previously described. A plurality of outwardly flaring, dove-tail reinforcing strips 58 are welded to the outer surface of the sides, ends and top of the casing 51. Preferably, the reinforcing strips 58 are of bronze or an equivalent non-corroding metal. p

The sides and ends of the inner casing 35' are spaced from the slabs 50, 53, and, after the inner box hasrbeen put in position over the casket, conf crete is poured into this space, embedding the reinforcing ribs 58. Also, a layer of concrete is placed above the top of the inner box, substantially as shown. This body of cement also serves to seal the joints between the slabs 50, 53.

The cover stone 33 is preferably sealed, by a rabbeted joint 59 and a thin layer of waterproof cement, to the side and end walls, in substantially the manner previously described.

In Figure 5 the vault is shown mounted in a hillside. After the parts have been put in place, with the base disposed on a horizontal plane, an appropriate form is positioned above the side walls of the casket receptacle, and a body of concrete 60 is poured in the space above the receptacle, so that its upper surface coincides substantially with the slope of the ground. Thereafter, the cover plate 33 is positioned upon this body of concrete, in substantially the manner disclosed. Thus, the surface vault of the present invention is not to be confined to use in level ground.

Although two preferred forms of the invention have been disclosed with some particularly, it must be understood that the invention is not limited to the details described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, but includes all constructions coming within the scope of the appended claims or their equivalents.

I claim:

l. A burial vault comprising a stone-like casket enclosingreceptacle including a casket supporting surface, and a unitary, sheet-metal inner casing positioned within said receptacle and supported on said surface, said casing being preformed and comprising sheet-metal top and side walls here metically sealed along their meeting joints and having an open bottom, said open bottom being eifective to permit the casing to be lowered upon said surface to enclose a casket supported thereon prior to the closing of the receptacle.

2. A burial vault comprising side walls terminatlng at their upper edges in an upwardly projecting, cross-sectionally squared rib, an imperforate, preformed sheet metal inner casing dis posed interiorly of said Walls, and having an open bottom, whereby the casing may be positioned interiorly of said side walls after a casket has been positioned therein, and cover means for said vault comprising a stone-like slab having a marginal groove complemental in shape to the upper edges of said side walls and sealed thereto by a waterproof cement.

3. A burial vault comprising a stone-like, hollow, downwardly opening supporting base, and a casket receiving receptacle supported upon said base, said receptacle comprising a stone-like box opening upwardly and a sheet metal box having an open bottom and hermetically sealed top and side walls disposed interiorly thereof, said base and said casket receiving receptacle being provided with moisture drainage means leading from a point interiorly of the open bottom of said sheet metal .box through said base, to permit the drainage of moisture to the outside, and a stone-like Y cover positioned above said sheet metal box.

4. In a vault construction, a casket receiving receptacle and a supporting base therefor, said base comprising vertically disposed side and end walls and a substantially horizontal top Wall, said walls providing an interior air space below the top wall, said receptacle comprising horizontal top and bottom walls and vertical side and end walls, the lower surface of the bottom wall of-said receptacle being recessed to provide an air space between the receptacle and the supporting base, said space being closed around its edges by contact between the receptacle and base.

5. In a burial vault construction, the combination, with a casket receiving receptacle com.- prising top, bottom and side walls of a supporting' base therefor, said receptacle being supporting along the lower edges of its side and bottom walls on said base with the undersurface of its said bottom wall spaced from said supporting base to provide an air space below the receptacle.

6. A vault construction comprising in combination, a casket receiving receptacle and a supporting base having imperforate top and side Walls providing a, hollow, interior, downwardly opening space, and conduit means extending from the interior of said casket receiving receptacle downwardly through the walls of said base substantially to a point exteriorly thereof.

7. A vault construction comprising in combination, a supporting base and a casket receiving receptacle mounted thereon, the base comprising a top wall having a plane upper surface terminating adjacent its margins in a, downwardly stepped portion, said receptacle having a bottom wall having a central portion of its undersurface spaced from the upper plane surface of said support and a marginal portion complemental in shape to the stepped portion of. the base, said receptacle being secured to said base by ay dry joint, whereby moisture collected in said space may escape therefrom between said step-pcd portions.

8. In a burial vault, a casket receiving receptacle comp-rising a bottom wall, separate side walls associated therewith comprising independent stone slabs, an inner casing of sheet metal spaced inwardly from said side walls and supported upon said bottom wall, said casing comprising a top wall and side walls hermetically sealed thereto and providing an open bottom, and poured concrete substantially filling the space between the side Walls of said casing and the stone slab side walls` and covering the topi wall of said inner casing, and a stone cover slab positioned above the concrete covering.

9. A device in accordance with claim 8 characterized in that the exterior surfaces of the top and side walls of said inner casing are provided with outwardly projecting reinforcing strips embedded in the concrete.

10. In a vault construction, a one-piece, hollow, downwardly opening, concrete supporting base, stone slabs projecting upwardly from said base and secured thereto by dowel pins, said slabs forming the side and end walls of a casket receiving receptacle, a horizontal bottom wall slab supported on said base inwardly of said side and end Walls and being spaced from said base throughout the major portion of its area, a downwardly opening inner casing spaced inwardly from said side and end walls and supported on said bottom wall and being adapted to enclose a casket, said inner casing having dove-tail reinforcing strips o-n its outer surface, a body of concrete lling the space between said casing and said side and end walls and overlying the top of said casing, and a stone slab disposed above said body of concrete and supported upon the side and end walls.

ROBERT SIMPSON. 

